Electrical ignition device for explosion-engines.



N0. 685,960. Patented NOV. 5, I9OI. Z. WIRT.

ELECTRICAL IGNITION DEVICE FOR EXPLOSION ENGINES.

(Application filed May 21, 1901.) (No Nodal.) 2 Sheets-Sheet I.

w I I WWJML C No. 685,960. Patented Nov. 5, I90I. Z. WIRT.

ELECTRICAL IGNITION DEVICEFOR EXPLOSION ENGINES.

(Application filed May 21 1901.) (No Model.) 2 SheetsSheet 2.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ZEBULON VVIRT, OF LONDON, ENGLAND.

ELECTRICAL IGNITION DEVICE FOR EXPLOSION-ENGINES.

SPEGIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 685,960, dated November5, 1901.

Application filed May 21,1901- Serial No. 61,241- (No model.)

To ctZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ZEBULON \VIRT, a citizen of the United States,residing at Hampstead, London, England, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in or Relating to Electrical Ignition Devices for Explosion-Engines, (for which application has been made in Great Britainunder No. 19,223, dated October 26, 1900,) of which the following is aspecification.

This invention relates to electrical ignition devices forexplosion-engines, and has special reference to explosion-engines havingtwo or more cylinderssuch, for example, as that described in thespecification of my pending United States application, Serial No.2,0443, filed January 19, 1900althoughits use is not restricted thereto.

An ignition device according to this invention is so constructed that ifthere are two or more cylinders to the engine any ofthose cylinders maybe cut in or out of action without afiecting the remainder.

The invention further comprises an ar rangement by means of which aspark may be produced for igniting the charge in any particularcylindersay for starting pur poses-when the engine is stationary.

By the employment of the improved ignition device it is possible tooperate a multicylinder engine with an induction-coil having a singleprimary and a single secondary winding.

For the sake of clearness that portion of the ignition device whichoperates when the engine is working is herein described as the runningportion, while the part which is manually operated when the engine isstationary is called the starting portion. Each of these portionscomprises two 1nembers, which may be distinguished as the se lector andcontact-maker, respectively. The function of the selectors is to makeelectrical connections between certain circuits, so that when thecontact-maker operates only certain cylinders will be brought intoaction. The selector of the starting portion of the device may beconstructed so that either of the sparking-circuits, of which there isone to each cylinder, may be arranged so that the contact-maker shallplace it into connection with the secondary winding of aninductiondevice is also provided with a contact for each of thecylinders. These contacts are joined to contact-springs which areperiodically brought into connection with a moving contact-block, andany particular contactspring which has been joined up by the selectorforms when in contact with the moving block part of a closed circuit inwhich the primary winding of the induction-coil is in series with abattery. Moving synchronously with the contact-block is anothercontact-block also operating upon a series of contact-springs placed inpositions corresponding to those of the first-mentioned set ofcontactsprings. This second set of block and springs controls theconnections between the sparking-circuit of each cylinder and thesecondary winding of the inductioncoil, so that as the block comes incontact with each spring the sparking-circuit connected with that springis placed in series with a secondary coil. The second movingcontact-block is arranged to come' into contact with its contact-springsjust before the first contact-block makes contact with the correspondingspring, so that the secondary circuit is closed just before thecorresponding selected primary circuit is completed. Thus if, say, No. 1cylinder is to be used, each time the synchronously-movingcontactbloclzs make contact with their respective No. 1 contact-springsthe charge in that cylinder is ignited. Contact-springs 2 3, &c., notbeing joined up by the selector the primary circuit is not completedwhen those springs are in contact with the moving block, and thus nospark is produced. Obviously if the running-selector is set to join upcontact-blocks 1, 3, and 5 the cylinders corresponding to those numberswill be operated.

The above-described contact-springs and contact-blocks may be lookedupon as the contactmaker for the running portion of the device, andconveniently the contact-blocks 1 sets of contact-springs are placed.The two disks may be mounted upon a common shaft driven from the engineat any desired speed.

In practice it is found that a convenient running-selector may be madeby placing a series of contact-pieces of gradually-increasing length,each joined to one of the contactsprings, so that they come into contactsuccessively with the arms or prongs of a metallic comb. The firstposition of the comb will then bring contact-spring No. 1 intoconnection; the second, springs 1 and 2; the third, springs 1, 2, and 3,and so on. This is a very simple and generally useful arrangement,although it does not permit of any single cylinder other than No. 1being used when working. The selector, however, may be readily modifiedto effect this, if desired.

The starting-selector and contact-maker are conveniently made as onepiece of apparatus in the form of a switch with a double set ofcontacts, one setthe selector groupcomprising a ring of blocks eachjoined to one of the sparking-circuits, and the other set-thecontact-maker group-arranged so that when the switch is closed theprimary circuit is. completed in series with the battery and thesecondary circuit in series with the particular sparking-circuitselected also completed. The two sets of contacts may be operated by oneswitch-lever, the particular sparking-circuit being selected by apreliminary turning movement of the lever or a portion of it so that itis in line with the particular contact-block in the ring.

The switch above described is preferably arranged so that on releasingthe handle after using it for starting it moves back automatically andcloses gaps in circuits connected with the running device, so that thatportion of the apparatus may immediately and automatically come intoaction.

It will be noticed that two or more cylinders may be operated from theone primary and secondary windin In fact, if the coil be powerful enoughall the cylinders, however many there may he, may be ignited from it.

In order that, when starting, the most suitable cylinder shall beselected for ignition, an indicator may be arranged on the shaftcarrying the rotating disks, such indicator pointing to the number ofthe cylinder in which the charge is, say, under greatest compression.

Obviously if an ignition device according to this invention is used inconnection with an engine having only one cylinder the selectors will beunnecessary. The contactmakers, however, may be used, and the system isfound to be advantageous owing to the fact that the primary circuit maybe a complete metallic one,insulated from the frame of the engine, andthus having no connection with the secondary winding in cases where thatwinding is earthed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a diagram showing onearrangement of circuits and apparatus forming an ignition deviceaccording to this invention. Fig. 2 is a perspective view,with a portionbroken away, of one form of starting-selector and cont-actmaker. Fig. 3is a plan of a running contact-maker, part being removed for the sake ofclearness; and Fig. 4 is a vertical section on the line +L 4 of Fig. 3.

Like letters indicate like parts throughout the drawings.

With reference first to Fig. 1, A and A are respectively the primary andsecondary win dingsofan induction-coil. The primary winding A isprovided with a spring contactbreaker A of the usual typeand isconnected by a wire B to one pole of a battery 0, the other pole ofwhich is joined by a wire C and rubbing-contact C to the spindle D of ase lector. This selector comprises a series of segmental contact-blocksD,D ,D ,D' ,D ,and D all mounted upon the spindle D and in electricalconnection therewith. The contact-blocks are spaced upon the spindle-sayby means of fiber or other distance-piece. so that each block isopposite to one of a series of contact-springs E,E ,ll",E",E ,and E",the blocks being so arranged that by rotating the spindle D by means ofa handle D one, two, or any number of the six blocks may be brought intocontact with the corresponding springs. The selector contactsprings E toE are joined by wires F to another series of contact-springs G, G G G,G, and G, E being joined to G, E to G and so on. The ends of thecontact-sprin gs G to G are ar ra nged symmetrically around theperiphery of a disk H,of insulating material,which carries at one pointa contact-arm H and is mounted upon a spindle Hflwhich can be rotated.The contact-arm is connected by a wire H to the primary winding A, a gapbeing left in the circuit which maybe closed by the action of a switchJ. If new the selectorbe turned so that the first segmentalcontact-block D is alone in contact with its spring F. and the shaft llbe rotated, a current will pass from the battery 0 through the primarywinding A each time the contact-arm H passes under the spring G. Again,if the selector be turned farther around, so that blocks D, D and D forexample, make connection with their respective springs E E E then theprimary winding will be energized when the contact-arm 11 passes underthe springs G, G and G The secondary circuit is provided with a seriesof contact-springs K, K K K", K, and K, which are arranged three on oneside and three on the other side of a cylinder L, of insulatingmaterial, which is provided with three segmental contact-blocks L L L,all connected to a common spindle L", provided with a brush or rubbingcontact L This rubbing-contact L is joined by a wire M to a switch-blockM, and a switch-arm J can connect this block through a wire M. to oneend of the secondary winding A, he other end of the secondary windingbeing earthed. The springs K to K are connected to a group of: blocks N,N N N N and N, the spring K being connected to the block N, K to N andso on, and from each of these blocks a wire leads to thesparking-circuit of a cylinder of the engine. One of these circuits isshown connected to the block N a wire N joining that block to asparking-gap, (diagrammatically represented at N From the sparking-gapthe circuit passes to earth or, if desired, by metallic insulated returnto the end of the secondary winding. It will of course be understoodthat the sparking-gap N is arranged in the usual way within thecylinder. Similar circuits are connected to each of the blocks N, N Nand N but are not shown in the drawings. Preferably the shafts L and Hrotate synchronously. They may, in fact, be portions of the same shaft,and the springs and contact-blocks are so disposed that any givensecondary circuit is completed just before the corresponding primarycircuit. Forinstance,thecontact-blockL would come in contact with thespring K completing the secondary circuit through the sparking-gapconnected to the block N just before the primary contact-arm H came incontact with its spring G The operation of the device when running willbe readily understood from the above description. Should all theselector contactblocks D to D be brought into connection with theircorresponding springs, the primary winding A is energized every time theprimary contact-arm passes under one of the springs G to G and as thecorresponding secondary circuit is completed in advance of the primary,sparks occur successively at the sparkingaps of the six cylinders andthe charges are exploded in the proper order. Obviously the secondarycontact springs might be arranged around the periphery of a disk in away substantially similar to that described with reference to theprimary contactsprings G to G but it is preferred to arrange them, asdescribed, around a cylinder,in order that there may be as great adistance as possible between succeeding sparking-circuits, thusrendering surface leakage less likely to occur. a

The arrangements above described are those necessary for use when theengine is running automatically. Some additional circuits necessary foruse when the engine is to be started will now be described.

Six additional circuits 0 are provided, each connected to one of theblocks N to N joined with the sparking-circuits and terminating inseparate contact-blocks O, 0 0 O, 0 and O. A movable contact-finger O isprovided, which can be brought into connection with either of theseblocks and is connected to a switch-block 0 which can be placed by theswitch-arm J in connection with the secondary winding A through the wireM Another switch-block O is connected by a wire 0 to the battery 0 andcan be connected by the switch-arm J to the primary winding A. Theswitch-arms J and J are in the diagram forming Fig. 1 connected by across-bar J Supposing now the engine to be stationary after having beenrunning, the contact-finger O is placed in connection with thesparkingcircuit of the cylinder in which the charge is undercompression, and the switches J J are then moved over into the dottedposition. This has the effect of closing the secondary circuitcomprising the secondary winding A and the sparkiug-circuit 0 N 850.,and also closes the primary circuit consisting of the primary Winding A,wire B, battery 0, and wire 0 Consequently the charge in the particularcylinder selected is ignited and the engine started. Preferably theswitches J J and the contact-finger O are comprised in one piece ofapparatus, one construction of such apparatus being illustrated in Fig.2.

In Fig. 2 the switch-arm J is shown pivoted, as at J, to one side of aninsulatingcasing J the other switch-arm J being similarly pivoted, as atJ to the other side of the casing. The switch-arms J and J are connectedby a cross-barJ to the center of which a spindle or plunger J isattached in such a manner that it can rotate about its axis. Thisspindle J passes through a hole in a cover J and is furnished with ahandle J a spiral spring J being provided between the handle and thecover. Set around the cover J with their ends projecting, arecontact-blocks O, 0 O O O and 0, each furnished with a terminal orbinding screw, to which wires may be attached. Beneath the handle is aspring which corresponds to the contact-finger O (Representeddiagrammatically in Fig. 1.) When in the position shown, the switcheswould be in position for automatic running; but when it is desired tostart the engine the handle J is turned so that the spring 0 is oppositeto the contact-block belonging to the particular sparking-circuitselected. When this has been done, the handle is depressed and theswitches J J make 0011- tact with their blocks 0 0 the motion necessaryto bring this about first bringing the spring O into contact with theselected block, so that the secondary circuit is closed first in themanner previously described. The function of the spring J is to returnthe switches into the running position automatically as soon as theengine has been started.

Figs. 3 and t are respectively a plan with a portion removed, and avertical section of one construction of running contact-maker. Thesprings K toK are arranged on the inside of a cylinder K of insulatingmaterial, and the segmental contact-blocks L L L are mounted upon theoutside of an inner insulating-cylinder L and joined up, as by strapsIf, to a shaft L, which is furnished with a rubbing-contact LConveniently the primary contact-maker may be arranged on top of thesecondary, and the portion of the disk II is shown in Fig. i. Thecylinder K is provided with slotted lugs K by means of which itsposition may be adjusted.

In order that it may be known which cylinder is most suitable forselection for starting purposes, an indicator may be provided. This maybe attached to any suitable shaft, and in Fig. 1 an indicator is shownin chain lines at P attached to the shaft H and work ing in conjunctionwith a scale which is represented by a chain-line circle I It will benoticed that in the particular construction of running selectorillustrated in Fig. 1 if one cylinder only is to be used that cylindermust be No. 1, if two are to be employed Nos. 1 and 2 must be selected,and so on. This is asimple and convenient arrangement in practice; butit is obvious that by making the contact-blocks D to D movableindependently any single cylinder orany desired grouping of cylinderscould be used.

It is to be understood that the particular forms of selector andcontactmaker described and illustrated are merely given by way ofexample and that other constructions operating in substantially the sameway may be employed.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,is*

1. In an explosion-engine the combination of a plurality of cylinders, asparking'circuit for each cylinder, an induction-coil having a primaryand a secondary winding, asource of electric energy connected with theprimary winding, a plurality of contacts corresponding to the number ofcylinders, a contactmaker for automatically placing each of thesecontacts successively into connection with the primary winding and thesource of electric energy, a selector controlling gaps in thecontact-circuits so that the contact-maker can only close the circuit ofpredetermined contacts, a plurality of contacts connected to thesparking-circuits of the cylinders and a contact-maker automaticallyoperating to place each of such contacts successively in connection withthe secondary winding substantially as set forth.

2. In an explosion-engine the combination of a plurality of cylinders, asparkingcircuit for each cylinder, an induction-coil having a primaryand a secondary winding, a source of electric energy connected with theprimary winding, a plurality of contacts corresponding to the number ofcylinders, a contactmaker [or automatically placing each of thesecontacts successively into connection with the primary winding and thesource of electric energy, a selector controlling gaps in thecontact-circuits so that the contact-maker can only close the circuit ofpredetermined contacts, a plurality of contacts connected to thesparking-circuits of the cylinders, a

contactmaker automatically operating to place each of such contactssuccessively in connection with the secondary winding, and amanually-operated contact-maker for cutting out the automaticcontact-makers when starting the engine, substantially as set forth.

3. In an explosion-engine the combination of a plurality of cylinders, asparking-circuit for each cylinder, an induction-coil having a primaryand a secondary winding, a source of electric energy connected with theprimary winding, a plurality of contacts corresponding to the number ofcylinders, a contactmaker for automatically placing each of thesecontacts successively into connection with the primary winding and thesource of electric energy, a selector controlling gaps in thecontact-circuits so that the contact-maker can only close the circuit ofpredetermined contacts, a plurality of contacts connected to thesparking-circuits of the cylinders, a contactmaker automaticallyoperating to place each of such contacts successively in connection withthe secondary winding, a manually-operated contact-maker for cutting outthe automatic contact-makers when starting the engine and a secondselector connected to the starting contact-maker and to each of thesparking-circuits so that the charge in any selected cylinder may beignited for starting purposes substantially as set forth.

t. In an explosion-engine the combination of a plurality of cylinders, asparking-circuit for each cylinder, an induction-coil having a primaryand a secondary Winding, a source of electric energy connected with theprimary winding, a plurality of contacts corresponding to the number ofcylinders, a contactmaker for automatically placing each of thesecontacts successivelyinto connection with the primary winding and thesource of electric energy, a selector controlling gaps in thecontact-circuits so that the contactrmaker can only close the circuit ofpredetermined contacts, a plurality of contacts connected to thesparking-circuits of the cylinders, a contactmaker automaticallyoperating to place each of such contacts successively in connection withthe secondary winding, a manually-operated contact-maker for cutting outthe automatic contact-makers when starting the engine, a second selectorconnected to the starting contact-maker and to each of thesparking-circuits so that the charge in any selected cylinder may beignited for starting purposes and an indicator to show which cylindershould be selected substantially as set forth.

5. In an ignition device for an explosionengine a starting contact-makerand selector comprising two pivoted switch-arms operatively connected,contact-blocks at each end of the stroke of the arms, a spindleoperatively connected to the switch-arms and rotatable relativelythereto, a contact-spring carried by the spindle and contact-blocks so[0 means for igniting the charge in a selected cylinder by a spark fromthe secondary Winding substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing Witnesses.

ZEBULON WIRT.

Witnesses:

HAROLD WADE, HARRY B. BRIDGE.

